HONG KONG, Sept. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 48th WorldSkills Competition held a grand opening ceremony in Shanghai last night, kicking off the four days of competition from today. The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has sent a record nine outstanding young construction professionals to represent Hong Kong in eight trades, where they will compete against top talents from other countries and regions in pursuit of excellence.

The WorldSkills Competition is hailed as the Skills Olympics. This year's event brings together approximately 1,400 top young talents competing in 64 skill categories. The CIC's young competitors include LAW Chun-ho in Bricklaying skill category, TO Lung-wai in Cabinetmaking skill category, HUANG To-kong and WAN Tsz-ho in Concrete Construction Work skill category, HUANG Tsz-ho in Joinery skill category, LAW Chak-sum in Painting and Decorating skill category, FANG Chak in Plumbing and Heating skill category, TAI Hsin-i in Wall and Floor Tiling skill category, and TSE Yu-lok in Welding skill category. This year also marks the CIC's first participation in the Cabinetmaking skill category, demonstrating our commitment to creating more pathways for young people to showcase their talents on the world stage.

After a series of intensive professional training, exchange competitions, and physical conditioning, the competitors are mentally and physically prepared to compete at their best on the international stage and bring honour to Hong Kong and the construction industry. Ir Prof. Thomas HO, Chairman of the CIC, Ir Albert CHENG, Executive Director of the CIC, Ir Dr. LO Wai-kwok, Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of Construction (HKIC) Management Board, joined forces with industry leaders to form a cheering squad. They have travelled to Shanghai to support the competitors and will participate in technical exchanges with global industry counterparts.

Ir Prof. Thomas HO stated, "The WorldSkills Competition is a vital platform for showcasing the professionalism of Hong Kong's young people to the world. I look forward to seeing these nine outstanding young craftsmen demonstrate their full potential, elevate their skills and showcase to the world the spirit of Hong Kong's craftsmanship - craftsmanship, craftsman-soul, craftsman-skills, and craftsman-action. I also hope they will learn from elite competitors from around the world and bring an international perspective back to Hong Kong, and inject new momentum into the high-quality development of the construction industry." Ir Albert CHENG also said, "HKIC has established a training base that meets the WorldSkills standards for this year's team. It has also adopted a 'train through competition' approach, arranging for competitors to travel to the Chinese Mainland and overseas to participate in numerous high-level warm-up and exchange competitions to gain valuable practical experience. In addition, professional mental preparation sessions were provided to help them adjust mindset, assist them in raising their standards, and strive for excellent results."

Since its inception in 1950, the WorldSkills Competition has been held biennially in different countries and is hailed as the "Skills Olympics". The CIC has won seven Medallions for Excellence to date. This year's competition has attracted around 1,400 competitors aged 22 or below from approximately 70 countries and regions, providing a platform for young talents to showcase their skills and exchange expertise.

For more updates on the CIC's competitors and the latest news, please visit the CIC's social media platform: https://www.facebook.com/CICHK